May-12-09 Mercer County 4-H encourages General Public to enter 91st Annual 4-H Fair

CONTACT: Julie Willmot
(609) 278-7137

Event to be held Aug. 1-2 at Howell Living History Farm

TRENTON, N.J.—Need an excuse to put up some jam, tinker with your grandmother’s prize-winning pie or show off that special quilt project on which you’ve been working away? The coveted Blue Ribbon could be yours at the annual 91st Annual Mercer County 4-H Fair, to be celebrated Aug. 1-2 at the Howell Living History Farm in Titusville.

Even if you are not a 4-H member and no matter what your age, there are many “Open Division” categories at the fair. Your special family recipe, homegrown vegetable, or creative project could earn a ribbon, and the general public is encouraged to submit entries.

The fair will celebrate 4-H’s long association with Mercer County and Howell Farm by featuring family-friendly activities, such as arts and crafts, animal shows, and farm tours. This year’s theme is, “In 4-H, It’s Easy Being Green.”

Please visit http://mercer.njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/fair/index.html, where you can find the fair exhibit book. Any class listed—including arts and crafts, photography, foods, gardening, clothing, woodworking, and more—may be entered under the Open Division. Projects will be received from the general public for entry in the fair on Friday, July 31, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Howell Living History Farm.

The fair will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2. Admission and parking are free! Children’s activities, hay rides, and exhibits will take place throughout the fair. Plenty of food and drink, including homemade ice cream, will also be available. The opening ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 1.

4-H, a youth development program operated by Rutgers Cooperative Extension, provides research-based, hands-on learning experiences for youth in Mercer County. The fair is an opportunity for 4-H members to showcase projects they have worked on throughout the year.

For more information about 4-H or entering projects in the fair, please contact Kate Everett at the Mercer County 4-H Office at (609) 989-6833 or keverett@rce.rutgers.edu.

Howell Farm is located on Valley Road, just off Rt. 29 two miles south of Lambertville, NJ. Persons using Internet directions should use 70 Woodens Lane, Lambertville as the destination address. Howell Living History Farm is a facility of the Mercer County Park Commission. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.